Catherine Likhuta - Sure-fire
April 28, 2024
Bienen faculty hornist Gail Williams is featured in this performance of Sure-fire by Catherine Likhuta. Shawn Vondran conducts the Symphonic Band.
(00:15) The Spark
(05:29) Lament in the Ashes
(12:20) Firecracker
About this Work
The composer writes the following regarding Sure-fire:
This was my 10th piece for band and 25th piece featuring horn. I have learnt so much about both horn and band through my previous compositional experiences and have made hundreds of dear friends among horn soloists and band directors. This piece is the celebration of my love and admiration for horn and band, and what they can do together. I had known for a while that I wanted the piece to be centered round the theme of fire, in one way or another. Ever since Australia’s 2019–20 bushfires, where we lost over one billion local animals, I wanted to write a lament through which listeners and musicians could grieve over those horrific events. When I told my husband about the overall idea of fire, he proposed the title Sure-fire. While appropriately difficult and virtuosic, the writing in this piece is meant to instill confidence in the soloists and let them shine through as the spectacular musicians that they are.